Parton reaches out to Simpson

Simpson attracted criticism when she was pictured looking notably curvier on-stage at a concert last month (Jan09).

The pop star made headlines again days later when she broke down onstage while supporting Rascal Flatts in Michigan, forgetting her lyrics and eventually walking off in tears.

But Parton, who collaborated with Simpson on her country album Do You Know, is defending her fellow superstar, insisting she has been victimised by the media.

The 9 To 5 hitmaker tells U.S. talk show host Larry King, "I say people always treat her bad. They always talk bad about her. I just recorded a song with her a few months ago. And I've never had - I've never been around a person any sweeter in my life. And she's a great singer.

"And I've been fat and I've been skinny. And I'm not about to say something about somebody else's weight because I know how hard it is when you gain, you know, five or six pounds, and certainly 10 or 12...

"But I know that Jessica is a good girl. She's beautiful to me. And I'm sure that she's going to get some weight off just because people won't leave her alone."

Parton also defended Simpson's stage antics: "I think every entertainer's had nights when things go wrong. I mean you can't remember everything all the time, and especially if you're having hard times personally."